If a local pharmacy is refusing to fill your prescription, please don't give up and don't book a new appointment. In most cases the issue can be resolved with a little troubleshooting. Below are the most common reasons a pharmacy may decline to fill a QuickMD prescription, along with what you can do about each one.
The pharmacy is unfamiliar with telehealth prescriptions
Some pharmacies, particularly smaller or independent locations, may be less familiar with electronically transmitted prescriptions from telehealth clinicians. If the pharmacist seems uncertain or hesitant, you can:
- Ask to speak with the pharmacist in charge or a senior pharmacist
- Let them know that your prescription was written by a licensed clinician through a DEA-registered telehealth platform
- Contact Patient Support so we can follow up directly with the pharmacy on your behalf
The prescription has not yet arrived at the pharmacy
Electronic prescriptions can sometimes take a few minutes to several hours to appear in a pharmacy's system. If the pharmacy says they do not see your prescription:
- Wait 30 to 60 minutes and try again
- Confirm that you gave the correct pharmacy name, location, and phone number when booking
- Log into your QuickMD account and check your Orders tab to verify that the prescription was sent
- Contact Patient Support if the prescription still does not appear after a reasonable wait
The pharmacy has a policy against filling controlled substances from telehealth clinicians
A small number of pharmacies have internal policies that restrict filling controlled substance prescriptions written by telehealth providers. This is not a reflection of your prescription being invalid. In this case:
- Try a different pharmacy location, even within the same chain
- Contact Patient Support and request that your prescription be transferred to a more accommodating pharmacy
- Ask your QuickMD clinician about our home delivery program as an alternative
Controlled substance monitoring or prior fill history
Pharmacies are required to check the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) database before filling controlled substances. If your record shows a recent fill at another pharmacy, or if there is any flagged activity, the pharmacist may place a hold or decline to fill:
- Do not fill your prescription at multiple pharmacies
- Contact Patient Support immediately so we can work with your clinician to clarify your history if needed
When you contact Patient Support about a pharmacy refusal, it helps to have the following information ready:
- The name and address of the pharmacy that refused
- The reason the pharmacist gave, if any
- The name of the medication and the date it was prescribed
- Your QuickMD account email address
Our team can assist with pharmacy transfers, follow up with the pharmacy directly, or connect you with our home delivery program if a local fill is not possible.